


Blood and Ink

by busterkuri



Category: Splatoon
Genre: Amputation, Cannibalism, Eye Trauma, Gen, Gore, Guro, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-04-20 00:15:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14248914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/busterkuri/pseuds/busterkuri
Summary: An inkling appears on Marina's very special game show.  Can he win the prize...or even make it through alive?





	Blood and Ink

 

Ray was drowsy. He remembered...he had a drink...somewhere? He vaguely remembers there was a “Sorry” before he blacked out. He blinked a couple times before realizing that there was darkness all around him. He could hear a few murmuring voices. He opened his mouth to speak but he was so dry. When had he last gotten any ink? He tried to move his arms and legs but they were...strapped down? Was he on some sort of messed up operating table?

His brain was ready to process it all when the lights blasted in his face and he heard a shout of “And we're live in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!”

Marina jumped forwards. “Hey everybody, welcome to another special show of Ink to Win!”

The noise of the applause deafened Ray, but he could still hear a small pump turn on behind him. He felt better. He could twist his head just barely enough to see that he was attached to an IV of ink. He looked around some more, noticing that he was strapped up vertically, facing the audience, but the lights stopped him from seeing anything.

“Now, everybody, let's meet our first contestant! All the way from Inkopolis, it's Ray!” Another round of applause as Marina went over to him with the microphone. “Ray, tell us, are you ready to play Ink to Win?”

“I...don't know...where I am...” He still felt so dry and confused.

“Hard night drinking last night, Ray?” Oh god she knew.

“I...what is...Ink to Win?”  
“So you're not ready.” Laughter from the audience. “Alright, who wants to tell Ray all about Ink to Win?” It got darker around him. He realized the spotlight had moved over to the audience, all of them jumping up with hands in the air.

And they were all Octolings.

His hearts started pounding. The haze was vanishing and it was all coming together, even as Marina was calling up a lucky audience member to explain the rules.

He started looking around and struggling for anything he could use. All he found was the straps getting tighter.

He listened to the tail end of the rules as Marina came over, handing the audience member a special T-shirt. “That's right, he'll have to answer every question correctly if he wants to get out of here with the grand prize! You got all that?”

“Y...yes.” Maybe he could figure something out. There was still time.

“Great! So let's start with Question #1. How many hearts do Octolings have?”

“F—four.”

“WRONG!” Boos from the audience. “We have 3. I thought you'd know that since Inklings have just as many. Let's spin that wheel!”

He heard a wheel spinning behind him. He looked frantically but couldn't see any of it.

“Oh, good start for the first round, at least!” Marina picked up a machete from a table. She came up to him. “Don't worry, things will be all right.”

The audience laughter couldn't drown out his screams as Marina chopped off his left hand. Blood and ink gushed down the table. He started wiggling his arm out of the strap, but realized there was no point. He just stared at the stub at the end of his arm and his hand sprawled out on the floor.

“Question #2!”

“I don't know why--”

“Ahem, I'm asking the question! Everybody remember what happens when you interrupt me?”

He should've listened to the rules. That's all he could think as Marina pulled out a nailgun and fired several nails into his chest. The pump sped up. It was obviously the only thing keeping him alive, but for how long?

“Ahem, question #2! What is Octo Valley's main resource?”

“...Ink?”

“Really? Everybody knows that it's steel! Do you even have a brain in there?” Marina laughed to herself as the wheel began spinning. “I guess we'll find out later, won't we? Oooo, maybe we'll get a look at it now!” She grabbed a power drill, and started it up as she brought it over and shoved it into his left eye. She held it there for a moment, the whirring echoing in his skull, before pulling it out, the eye still attached. “Looks like this just isn't your game. We'll have to see if Ray picks up any after these commercials.”

Marina's game show persona clearly dropped as a commercial for Sheldon's Weapons played on an overhead TV. Maybe Ray could talk to her now.

“Please...I don't understand...you're so nice on the show...”

“Of course I am.”

“But...you hate Inklings?”

She laughed bitterly. “You think that's what this is about?” She smiled. “I love Inklings. I love Inkopolis. I love doing the show with Pearl, I love arguing with her over Splatfests...but I'm an Octoling at heart.” She looked at him, staring deep into his remaining eye. “Do you like Octolings, Ray?”

He was stunned into silence as the announcer counted back down from commercial. Marina put back on her persona as Ray came to the fact that he was going to die here.

“And we're back! Ray, you haven't done great so far, and I'll be honest, these questions are only going to get harder! Are you ready?”

“Yeah...” There was no point in arguing. He thought he knew what this was about, but...he also thought he could just kick back and play Turf War for the rest of his life. That wasn't going to happen.

“So, question #3! And I don't want you to rush this one. How many Octolings have you killed?”

Before the audience was murmuring and laughing. Now there was just silence.

Ray gulped. “Um...I...” He thought for a moment. “I don't know.”

“Go ahead, let's make this fair. You get it within 10 and I'll give it to you.”

He tried to count. During the war, after the war...maybe add an extra few in there...

“...65”

“Not even close. Ray, it's 105. Now, our audience here is only 300, so...y'know, a third of them, that's how many you've killed in your lifetime.”

“I'm sorry” He whispered as the wheel came to a stop. He looked down, not wanting to face the booing crowd, only noticing what was going on when he heard the chainsaw rev up. He looked back up just in time to see Marina cut his body at the waist, blood and ink splattering everywhere. With his legs gone, it was a single arm holding him in place.

Marina looked at her next question. “I'm gonna be honest. You're not gonna make it to the grand prize round. Here, I'll make it fair. If you can get this one right, we'll call it even. I'll release you. Maybe you can crawl far enough to get some medical help.”

Ray blinked and nodded a little. He was barely conscious enough to say anything.

“For your freedom. Question #4. What was my sister's name?”

“Your....sister?”

“I'm sure you know her, Ray. After all, you were the one who murdered her. You were the one who assaulted her, stabbed her, called her 'takoyaki' as you covered her in gasoline and set her on fire. Or at least that's what I heard. That's what your buddies told me before they were on our show. So come on, what was her _name_?”

“K...kill me...”

“Oh, you're gonna wish I would.”

Ray blacked out.

 

Ray woke up and looked around. The blinding lights, the cheering crowd...no, it's just the TV. Marina and Pearl were discussing the latest Splatfest. He heard a page for a doctor.

Hospital. He...was alive? He took a moment to take inventory of himself. His waist was in pain but...so were his legs. They had been reattached. His eye and his hand were still gone, but...all he could think of was the generosity.

A nurse came in. “Oh, you're awake! You were dropped off here last night. How are you feeling?”

He considered telling her about everything that happened, but...who would believe him? “I'm...alright.” His stomach rumbled. “Hungry, though.”

“Well, you're in luck. Somebody dropped off some special sushi for you. Here, let me help.” She opened the container and picked up a piece with the chopsticks, giving it to him.

Ray took it and chewed. And chewed. This was...too rubbery. And it tasted weird.

This wasn't fish.

 


End file.
